Friday 12 April 2013

[wanabidii] Honoring Pan-Africanism at the Celebration of 50th Anniversay in the "21st Centuary Scramble to Africa" (May 25, 2013-May 25, 2014)



 

Honoring Pan-Africanism at the Celebration of 50th Anniversay in the "21st Centuary Scramble to Africa" (May 25, 2013-May 25, 2014)

 

 

 

Prepared by: Judy Miriga

                       CEO and Executive Director of

                       Confederation Council Foundation for Africa

 

 

Dated: April 12th 2013

 

 

Presented at: 2015 Bunker Hill Rd. NE

                       Washington DC 20018

 

 

 

Black historical culture and tradition is deeply rooted in their struggle for freedom and this in part is recognized in honor of their valued struggle for dignity, value and virtue of Black Human Race to be recognized and respected under Human Rights as a whole. The African-American culture has its origin rooted in Africa. The Black's cultural values is a blend of chiefly the Sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahelean Cultures. Although slavery greatly restricted the ability of Americans of African descent to practice their cultural traditions, many practices, values, and beliefs survived and over time have modified or blended with those of White culture and other cultures such as those of Native Americans and the Jamaicans in the Carribean Islands. In such struggle, we recognize people like Patrice Lumumba of Congo, Tom Mboya of Kenya, Martin Luther King of USA, Nkrumah of Ghana, Nelson Mandela of South Africa etc.,

 

 

 

Thankfully, we are now witnessing a glimpse of the African renaissance due to the sacrifices of great leaders such as Dr. WEB Dubois, The Honorable Marcus Garvey, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie, Queen Mother Moore, Dr. John H. Clarke, Abdias do Nascimento, Ambassador Dudley Thompson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. These and other courageous people were able to unify across the globe in struggle for freedom and justice in Africa, and in the African Diaspora. Their struggle resulted in the May 25, 1963 establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU) that spearheaded the decisive struggles for African freedom, human rights, independence and now for greater unity. To continue strengthening their freedom and to reunify with their children in the United States and beyond after centuries of forced separation, the African Union has "invite and encourage the full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of our continent, in the building of the African Union" for a peaceful, unified and prosperous Africa. During the 20th ordinary session of the AU assembly in Ethiopia from January 22-28, 2013, the African Union leaders declared May 25, 2013 the 50th anniversary of the Organization of the African Unity (OAU) calling for those of African descent across the world to commemorate May 25, 2013-May 25, 2014 as a tribute to African people's long struggle for the freedom, independence, human rights, and justice. This month of May we celebrate the rebirth of a people who have given so much to the foundation of our life and the future of humanity.

 

 

The West Africans, the Eastern Africa, the Jamaicans with those Native Americans believed that spirits dwelled in their surrounding nature. For this, they honor their Cultural Community Leaders and mostly pay respect to their parted souls. It is believed that, the spirit of the past are always alive on the other side of the unseen world. It is therefore, most Africans believe in paying respect in spiritualism of the past; more specifically this tradition fits well with the Pan-Africanism struggle for Independence for the African Freedom Fighters.

 

 

Without dwelling much on the religion, in the beginning of the 18th Century, Islam began to spread across North Africa; and this shift of religion began displacing traditional African spiritual practices. The fusion of traditional African beliefs with Christianity provided a common place shared by different community cultures. This was the beginning of shared values experienced amongst different communities united together as one family.

 

 

Today, we are again coming together under one umbrella of Pan-Africanism to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Africa's struggle for Independence. It fits well to recognize and honor the Black Africa struggle for independence and dedicate in recognizing with honor those who before us put their lives on line to free Africans from oppressiveness from Slavery with that of the white colonial regime rulership. From East Africa.

 

 

 

Past History:

From the earliest days during the 17th Century, American owners sought to exercise control over their slaves by attempting to strip them of their African culture. The physical isolation destroyed the historical values to some level and compounded the abandoning of African Tradition and Cultures as can be seen within the Brazilian, Haitian, the Dutch Guyanas more specifically withing the Caribbean Island communities …..etc.,

 

 

Present Historical Situation in Africa:

There is a 21st century struggle facing Africa today. It is a new wave of Africa's biggest test where Africans must unite to free themselves if not, the whole race of Africa faces destruction with eminent Africa's Land Invasion by those who are wealthy. It is known as "the Scramble for Africa. This is a new form of imperialism, where African Leaders are complicit in the re-colonization of Africa under a conspiracy of Corporate occupation of Africa.

 

 

In Commemorating Pan-African 50th Anniversary Celebration it gives me a reason to recognize gains that were made by the African Freedom Fighters and realize areas where we need to take stock within African value in the historical struggle. The vision of African Freedom fighters is real and is still alive. The spirit of our parted Freedom fighters are still alive within us. It is the reason why when we look back through the History, the Spirits for the Dream come alive. We must begin to get engaged and do better, so this world is able to enjoy the Unity peace brings in love. Complete happiness comes when Historical Culture and Tradition values are brought back to life to awaken the spirits of the Freedom Fighters. Their fights were not in vain and so is the need for a united front to confront "The Scramble for Land Grabbing in Africa" today. This calls for the question each one need to ask, who are we? ....... Our historical values for struggle is the reason we must be united to stop selfish gains by Land Grabbers which is about to destroy livelihood and survival of African existence in the challenges of the competition at the Global Market Place another reason which is about to cut us off from connecting our ancestors and the spirit of African Cultural Tradition.

 

 

 

A SYNDICATE OF CONSPIRACY BY THE WEALTH RICH ON LAND GRABBING AGAINST POOR AFRICANS IN AFRICA IS A NEW WAVE OF SERIOUS INJUSTICES. IT IS A SERIOUS PLAN TO ABUSE, COMMIT CRIME AND ENGAGE IN VIOLATION AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS WHICH IS A RATIFIED INTERNATIONAL TREATY THAT DEMANDS AN EARLY LEGAL INTERVENTION, MEDIATION, COMPENSATION AND REPARATION.

 

We are in 21st Century, and the world is yet again shocked by another wave of unfriendly corruption taking toll in Africa by what is known as "Land Grabbing". Africa's Land has become another target for the mean, selfish greedy and the rich who wish to engage on Free Trade through influence corrupt African leaders to illegally, irregularly and unconstitutionally steal Public resources without following any legal process; but the deals are done secretively under-table without caring or consulting the legal rightful channel for sale of disposing property. This they do in total disregard of the Democratic Constitutional Principles and Public Mandate.

 

 

Those who acquire Africa's land falsely are after power and the control to monopolize world market-place in "The Emerging Markets". This behavior constitute a serious crime, violation and abuse of human rights against the vulnerable and poor Africans who loose their livelihood and survival violently with no prior consultation, no fair legal justice or paying attention to their pleas for redemption simply because the people are helpless and cannot defend themselves against such a criminal invasion of their Rights, Dignity and Privacy. When people of Africa in the event of loosing their lands, are Mercilessly killed and tortured without empathy because they are weak and helpless, so they can easily be driven out of their homeland to pave way for Land Grabbers. What is the world Leaders reactions against Human Rights Violation, crime and abuse by Land Grabbers??? Is it right for the world to simply just sit and assume the Problem of Africa is not their problem, and that they will do nothing about it?

 

 

These corrupt irregular dealings, undertakes acquisition and transfers of large-scale of land behind the scene, often the deals are brokered at the expense and great loses of lives of the vulnerable African poor communities who lose their Communities, homes and livelihoods - sometimes violently - with no prior consultation, compensation or means of appeal. This means that the Land Transfer engagement in Africa are based on Violation and Abuse including Crime against Humanity that are punishable at the ICC Hague.

 

 

I am a victim of Land Grabbing and I am giving a true account of what I have gone through and it is not different to those other poor of Africa. The amount of Mental Torture, huge loses Social and Economic loses, excruciating Trauma, Pain and Sufferings cannot be easily quantified or explained. There is nothing to compare with it. The feeling is like the world has ended for those who have been pushed out of their homelands.

 

 

Atleast more than 1,500,000 people in Africa have been stolen from and are displaced where many have been forced to live on the streets. Some are brutalized and killed every election time, with others have their families mercilessly killed, leaving millions homeless without land or without any means to survive. African people in this category have lost everything and they are without any hope for recovery, reparation, mediation or any form of Legal Representation.

 

 

During 2008 poll violence which escalated in Kenya, many of those who lost their homes are still without a place to call home. Their communities were destroyed and many children and youths from those affected areas could not resist joinig illegal terror gang groups and many others lost direction as abandoned children and indulge in anti-social behaviors; where other children, girl child are sold out to prostitutions by their mothers. In other instances, many women also joined the illicit prostitution so they can feed their families and have roof over their heads.

 

 

Reaching the Solutions from this mega problem in Africa does not need hand-outs or spoon feeding. There is urgent need for the world to join together and condemn and join with us to take Legal Action against the Land Grabbers for reparation and compensation. As it can be seen, victims of Land Grabbing with those displaced are still hoping against hope, but up-till-now, five years down the line, they still have no place to call home.

 

 

Since politicians in African are so corrupt, the way to go is to engage the International Legal Jurisdiction Team to help mediate and resolve the problem of Africa's Land Grabbing at the International ICC Court and provide sustainable resettlement for the communities that were affected so they can begin to live a life of meaning again.

 

 

Presently, the whole world is experiencing increase of food prices, high cost fuel and rent; and the situation is not going to get any better soon if problem of Africa is not taken seriously. Africa is fundamentally potential and it cannot be under estimated that Africa is the back bone of Economic Stability for competitive Industrialized world. How can Land Grabbing in Africa be taken lightly by the world leaders? Coupled with scarcity of new job creations; high cost of basic needs, increase of joblessness and homelessness; terrorist gangs will find room to thrive and Land Grabbing in Africa will explore crimes of all kinds in high magnitude which will definitely be catastrophic and might turn explosive.

 

 

Black People of Africa, Unite to Force the Change to this Land Grabbing euphoria in Africa .........With possible global policy response, Solution will be found:

It is said, a stitch in time saves nine. The world must have guiding principles with threshold of consequences otherwise, if the world is disorganized, serious conditions from lack of human basic needs is able to pose greater risk in economic imbalances. Economic securities are necessary to generate mutual conducive environment needed for peace and unity shared for common good of all. There is therefore urgent need for an immediate solution to Africa's Land Grabbing before it turns explosive making survival extremely difficult and fueling terrorism, family destructions, weakening Law and Order, allowing sale of human organs, with drug and child prostitution trafficking as an acceptable business norm, global poverty with food insecurity.

 

 

Law must not be discharged discriminatively. All people are the same before God the creator and all people must be treated equally the same. People of Africa although they are poor and vulnerable, the rich and mighty through corruption, ganged and conspired against them and it is the reason why Africans have been pushed to the corner of extreme poverty, pain and sufferings all these years.

 

 

We the people of the world must stand together to condemn and prosecute Land Grabbers of Africa. It can be done. Let us stand together to Stop Land Grabbing in Africa.

 

 

 

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

Please note:

Kenyans who contributed to the struggle for Kenya's liberation from colonial rule.

Hero

Notes

Jomo Kenyatta

1894 – August 22, 1978

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga

1911 – 20 January 1994

Daniel arap Moi

2nd President of Kenya

Harry Thuku

1895–1970

Mbiyu Koinange

1906 - Son of Senior Chief Koinange wa Mbiyu.

Dedan Kimathi

31 October 1920 – 18 February 1957

Martin Shikuku

Former Butere MP

Paul Ngei

18 October 1923 – 15 August 2004

Ronald Ngala

1923 – 22 1972

Tom Mboya

15 August 1930 – 5 July 1969

Masinde Muliro

1922 – 14 August 1992

Achieng Oneko

1920 – 9 June 2007

Bildad Kaggia

1922 – 7 March 2005

Waiyaki Hinga

Kikuyu Leader kidnapped by the British and buried alive in 1892

Argwings Kodhek

Full names Argwingi Makodhek (Gem Moa Chiedo (GMC)) - died 1969

Koitalel arap Samoei

1860 – 19 October 1905

Mekatilili wa Menza

Female Giriama Leader, resisted British attempts to eradicate Giriama Culture.

Kungu Karumba

Unsolved mystery

Pio Gama Pinto

31 March 1927 - 25 February 1965

Jean Marie Seroney

Nandi elder died December 1983

1.Jomo Kenyatta.

2. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

3. Daniel Arap Moi

4. Mbiyu Koinange son of Senior Chief Koinange wa Mbiyu.

5 Harry Thuku.

6. Dedan Kimathi

7. Martin Shikuku

8. Paul Ngei

9. Ronald Ngala.

10. Achieng Oneko.

11. Tom Mboya.

12. Masinde Muliro.

13. Argwings Kodhek.

14. Bildad Kaggia.

15. Kung'u Karumba

16. Fred Kubai.

17. Waiyaki Hinga

18. Koitalel arap Samoei

 

 

 

[edit] References

  1. http://photography.a24media.com/index.php/photogallery/prominent-faces/83-the-life-and-times-of-ronald-ngala
  2. http://www.afroarticles.com/article-dashboard/Article/Ramogi-Achieng-Oneko--Pioneer-journalist-who-dared-oppressors/26067
  3. http://www.goethe.de/INS/ke/prj/aue/bik/enindex.htm
  4. http://www.sudaneseonline.com/cgi-bin/esdb/2bb.cgi?seq=msg&board=12&msg=1109726854

 

OBSERVATION AND FINDINGS:

The World Bank has rejected a call by Oxfam International to freeze the lender's investment in land-intensive agricultural projects, saying such a move would not help prevent abusive practices in the purchase of acreage. Do you think World Bank is realistic in their contribution? What do you think? Do you agree or disagree that World Bank is in any way helpful to the people of Africa or not? What is the World Bank up to? Globally, People of Africa want to know whether World bank is in the offensive or defensive......

 

This new wave of land deals in Africa is not the new investment in agriculture that millions had been waiting for. 99% of the deals accross Africa are in fact "land grabs" where the rights and needs of the people living on the land are denied and ignored, leaving them homeless and unable to grow enough food or make a reasonable dignified resourceful living from the use of their land in a well planned Agenda for Progressive Development to remove poverty and sufferings.

 

Oxfam's research outlines a Ugandan case study where at least 22,500 people lost their homes and land to make way for a British timber company, the New Forests Company (NFC). Evictees told Oxfam they were forcibly removed and have been left without enough food or money.

 

Despite court orders restraining evictions by the company, eye-witnesses say company workers took part in some evictions anyway. NFC denies itsinvolvement in any evictions.

 

This is what the people had to say........"All our plantations were cut down - we lost the banana and cassava. We lost everything we had," said one of the Ugandan evictees, Christine, a farmer in her mid 40s. "The company's casual labourers would attack us -they beat and threatened people. Even now they won't let us back in to look for the things we left behind. I was threatened - they told me they were going to beat me if we didn't leave."

 

The Uganda case clearly shows how land grabs are slipping through the net of existing safeguards. Investors, governments and international organisations must prioritise an end to land grabs by fixing current policies and regulations, which all too often fail to ensure local people are consulted or treated fairly, and by ensuring all relevant international standards are respected.

 

"Investment in agriculture should be good news but this land rush is reversing decades of hard-earned improvements to people's lives," said Stansfield. "We need urgent global action so that local communities with relatively little do not lose everything for the benefit of a few. It's time to secure a future where everyone has enough to eat."

 

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Despite the signing of the Lusaka Peace Accord in July among the seven African armies engaged in a war there, the truce has been violated by all countries and tensions continue. In addition, as the country becomes more accessible, immense humanitarian needs are being uncovered. The war already has displaced 1 million people and put several million at the risk of starvation.

Republic of Congo
Its ongoing civil war offers no hope of a quick solution in 1999. More than 500,000 people have been displaced thus far. Between 10,000-15,000 people died in 1999 alone as a result of the conflict.

Ethiopia & Eritrea
Fighting continues between these two countries over a border dispute. Thousands have been killed and there are estimated to be hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people. There also have been reports of forced emigration, ethnic cleansing and military action against civilians in both countries.

Somalia/Somaliland
Extensive and extreme poverty has been exacerbated by a culture of violence, clan warfare and drought in Somalia, primarily due to years of clan-fighting. There are more than 400,000 Somali refugees, and much of the country from Mogadishu to the Kenya border operates as a stateless, clan-controlled society. Constitutional provisions and national laws are inoperative, except in break-away (and, as yet unrecognized) Somaliland. Recently, the country has faced floods and droughts, as well as a ban on the export of livestock to Saudi Arabia and other nations. About 1 million people in the central and southern regions are affected, 300,000 need food aid, including 200,000 children.

Sudan
Sudan's civil war has continued for the better part of four decades. Virtually all of Sudan's nine neighbors have become embroiled in the conflict in some way over the years. Relations with Ethiopia have improved this year and a peace deal with Uganda was brokered earlier this month. Yet, no lasting peace agreement has been brokered between the SPLA and the government in Khartoum. In terms of human costs, more than 1.9 million people have died in southern Sudan and the Nuba Mountains since 1983 as a result of the war, according to the U.S. Committee for Refugees. Fighting also has caused massive internal displacement, leaving millions more homeless or without lands to farm and threatened by starvation and disease. Furthermore, the south is far behind the north developmentally due to the war and benign neglect during colonial rule. Violence is expected to continue.

 

 

 

 

 

DECLARATION PETITION TO STOP LAND GRABBING IN AFRICA:

 

 

 

Foreign Countries, World Bank & IMF colluding with Private Companies, wealthy foreigners and Foreign Universities are rapidly engaged in robbery with violence taking over Africa's land from Africa local Communities and families; distabilizing and forcing people out of their land, which as a result is turning local people into homeless Refugees and slaves labourers in their own homeland. This is criminal invasion of Rights, it is denying people of Africa honorable and dignified livelihood from meaningful discent survival and is invading privacy:

 

 

1. Some of this data are reports from victims who have join with us to call on leaders of the world to join in stopping and finding solutions to help fix Corruption and LandGrabbing mess; some are compiled by the Land Matrix Partnership, a coalition of academic, research and non-governmental organisations, but are consolidated as one huge problem that must be solved conclusively.

 

 

The 227 million hectares figure is based on information on land deals over 200 hectares from a range of sources including government reports,academic research, company websites, media reports and the few contracts that are available. Lack of transparency makes it difficult to get exact figures, but to-date up to 1,100 of these deals - amounting to 67 million hectares - have been cross-checked and the coalition is continuing the cross-checking process. It is calling for increased transparency among companies and governments so that the true scale of the problem can be accurately understood.

The Land Matrix Partnership includes the International Land Coalition,the universities of Bern and Hamburg, the French research institute CIRAD, the German agency for technical cooperation, GIZ and Oxfam.

 

 

2. The evictions took place between 2006 and 2010. One High Court order was granted on August 24, 2009 and remained valid until March 18, 2010. The other was granted on June 19, 2009 and remained in force until October 2, 2009. Both orders were to restrain evictions by the company.

 

 

The New Forests Company stated the majority of local residents had no legal right to the land, they had left peacefully and that the process was the sole responsibility of the Ugandan National Forestry Authority.It told Oxfam it had brought jobs and amenities to local communities and its activities had been approved by the Forestry Stewardship Council and International Finance Corporation

 

 

 

 

PETITION LETTER:

 

 

Dear World Bank President Jim Kim,

 

 

Land deals across Africa and the developing world are forcing poor people off their land and out of their livelihoods, with little to no way to survive, and without consultation. Large companies have now purchased land that could feed one billion people annually. And yet the World Bank, tasked with reducing poverty worldwide, funds many of these predatory deals.

 

 

Oxfam and other organizations have voiced their opposition to your funding of such land grabs, and I would like to add my voice to theirs. Please freeze investment in land deals such as these and help correct the injustices that are befalling poor farmers worldwide even as you read this message. The World Bank is uniquely positioned to influence policy on this issue, so please do the right thing.

Sincerely,

 

 

[Your Name Here]

 

 

Photo credit: CGIAR Climate

 

 

Petition Calls for Halt to New 'Land Grab' in Africa

http://www.globalpolicy.org/social-and-economic-policy/world-hunger/land-ownership-and-hunger/50378-petition-calls-for-halt-to-new-land-grab-in-africa.html

( Hunger )

 

 

A group of 500 NGOs have delivered a petition to the G20 agricultural leaders calling for a stop to land grabbing. Increasingly foreign corporations and universities are buying up land under the guise of "responsible agricultural investment." However, these practices are anything but "responsible." Analysis of land contracts reveals that most deals provide few jobs and force thousands of people off the land.

 

About Land Grabbing

 

Land grabbing is the contentious issue of large-scale land acquisitions; the buying or leasing of large pieces of land in developing countries, by domestic and transnational companies, governments, and individuals. While used broadly throughout history, land grabbing as used today primarily refers to large-scale land acquisitions following the 2007-2008 world food price crisis. By prompting food security fears within the developed world and newfound economic opportunities for agricultural investors and speculators, the food price crisis caused a dramatic spike in large-scale agricultural investments, primarily foreign, in the Global South for the purposes of food and biofuels production. Initially hailed by investors and some developing countries as a new pathway towards agricultural development, investment in land has recently been criticized by a number of civil society, governmental, and multinational actors for the various negative impacts that it has had on local communities.

 

The target locations of most land grabs are in the Global South, with 70% of land grabs concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa. Other primary areas of note are in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

 

 

 

 

More About African Land Grab:

 

 

Land Grabbing in Africa: a Review of the Impacts and the Possible Policy Responses a research funded by the Pan Africa Programme of Oxfam International, conducted by Tinyade Kachika, Senior researcher.

The research highlights issue such as:

 

The Rise of Land Deals in Sub-Saharan Africa

Land Grabbing and Risk for Small Scale Farmers,

Land Grabs: Another Yoke over Women's Land Rights?

Opportunity for Groups at Risk: The African Union's Continental Standards on Land Question

 

Click here to view PDF document for Land Grabbing in Africa: a Review of the Impacts and the Possible Policy Responses

Food Crisis and the Global Land Grab – a website, dedicated mainly to news reports about the global rush to buy up or lease farmlands abroad as a strategy to secure basic food supplies or simply for profit

Farmgrab.org, a website, dedicated mainly to news reports about the global rush to buy up or lease farmlands abroad as a strategy to secure basic food supplies or simply for profit. Its purpose is to serve as a resource for those monitoring or researching the issue, particularly social activists, non-government organisations and journalists.

Click here to go to farmlandgrab.org

 

 

 

Ask the World Bank to Stop Land Grabs in Africa and Beyond

By David Hensley

Target: World Bank President Jim Kim

Goal: Take decisive action on land grabs in the developing world

Right now, companies from the rich world are buying up huge swathes of land in poor countries worldwide, especially Africa. These land deals often leave local people on the land with no way to grow food or support themselves. Frequently, they were not even consulted about the land deal. The World Bank, the world's foremost lending institution, whose mission is poverty reduction, finances some of these deals. The World Bank must cease investing in such land deals.

These land deals, dubbed "land grabs," are often conducted between governments and large companies, with little to no consultation or consent from the poor people who actually live on the land. Often, because legal title to land in poor countries is murky, the people are simply evicted from the land and left to fend for themselves.

Land grabs are hurting the lives and livelihoods of poor people all over the world. But the World Bank continues to finance some of the deals, tacitly giving support to these unjust practices, despite the fact that the Bank's mission is to reduce poverty for the very same people these land grabs are affecting. International humanitarian organizations, notably Oxfam, have been pressuring the World Bank to examine these policies and have received a limited response, but the World Bank has yet to take decisive action and cease funding predatory land grabs.

By signing the petition below, you will voice your opposition to the World Bank's support of land grab deals in Africa and elsewhere, and ask them to cease funding for such deals worldwide.

 

 

 

 

Sign the Petition:

By Frank McDonald

Irish Times

June 22, 2011

Soaring food prices and the demand for biofuels have caused a new "land grab" in Africa – this time involving agribusiness corporations, hedge funds, investment banks, commodity traders and sovereign wealth funds from oil-rich states in the Middle East.

As the G20's agriculture ministers arrived in Paris for a two-day meeting, more than 500 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from around the world have delivered a petition calling for a halt to land grabbing under the guise of "responsible agricultural investment".

The Dakar Appeal Against Land Grabbing, originally drawn up at the World Social Forum last February, claims that "millions of peasant families and other rural and indigenous folk are being thrown off their lands and deprived of their livelihoods" as a result of this policy.

"While agriculture ministers from the world's 20 richest countries are discussing what to do about food price volatility and the growing hunger crisis, millions of hectares of fertile land, along with their water resources, are being grabbed", according to the petition.

Lands occupied by "peasants, pastoralists, herders, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples and traditional healers" were being "converted into massive agribusiness operations by private investors who want to produce food supplies or agro-fuels for international markets".

According to a report by the Oakland Institute, a US environmental think tank, "the same financial firms that drove us into a global recession by inflating the real-estate bubble through risky financial manoeuvres are now doing the same with the world's food supply."

The report, Understanding Land Investment Deals in Africa, focuses on seven African countries and claims that Harvard, Vanderbilt and other American universities with large endowment funds have invested heavily in African land in the expectation of making huge returns.

Foreign firms farm the land to consolidate their hold over global food markets and to "make room" for export commodities such as biofuels and cut flowers. "This is creating insecurity in the global food system that could be a much bigger threat than terrorism," the report said.

"Lands that only a short time ago seemed of little outside interest are now being sought by international investors to the tune of hundreds of thousands of hectares" according to a recent report by UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation. "This is rightly a hot issue ..."

Several factors underpinned these land acquisitions, including food security concerns, particularly in investor countries, "which are a key driver of government-backed investment", as well as expanding biofuel production, "an important competing land and crop use".

Previously, many of the biggest land deals in Africa involved Chinese and Middle Eastern firms acquiring fertile land to grow cheap food for people back home. But the report suggests that the latest "movers and shakers" are western investors, backed by significant funds.

"Analysis of the contracts reveals that many of the deals will provide few jobs and will force many thousands of people off the land," the Oakland Institute said, adding that control of global food markets and agricultural resources in this way would have "profound implications".

It cited research by the World Bank and others suggesting that nearly 60 million hectares – an area the size of France – has been bought or leased by foreign companies in Africa in the past three years alone, both to grow food for export and also to cash in on bio-fuels.

"No one should believe that these investors are there to feed starving Africans," according to Obang Metho, of the Solidarity Movement for New Ethiopia, a US-based campaign group. "These deals only lead to dollars in the pockets of corrupt leaders and foreign investors."

One of the largest deals involves soon-to-be independent South Sudan, where as much as 9 per cent of its land area had been acquired by foreign firms; it was negotiated by a Texas-based firm, Nile Trading and Development, with a local co-op "run by absent chiefs".

Saudi Star, a company controlled by billionaire Sheikh Mohammed al-Amoudi, is planning to invest as much as $2 billion (€1.39 billion) in developing half a million hectares of land in Ethiopia to grow rice, wheat, vegetables and cut flowers for the Saudi market.

The EU's target of switching 10 per cent of all transport fuel to plant-based biofuels by 2015 is also blamed for the "land grab" in Africa. An an ActionAid report last year estimated that the EU would need 17.5 million hectares to grow biofuel crops if it is to meet this target

 

 

 

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